I shouldn’t admit what this new site from Puma makes me wish for. But it’s definitely not a fiscally responsible wish. If Puma has its way, a lot of people out there will be cheering for the stock market to keep taking its lumps. And I may just be one of them.
It starts with the hallmark of success, especially for something viral. Simplicity. You can describe it in one line: If the stock market goes up, a hot model puts clothes on. If the stock market goes down, a hot model takes clothes off.
Simple.
And of course, when they strip, they wind up in their skivvies. But there’s not just any underwear underthere; it’s Puma Bodywear. It’s nice looking stuff. And it’s featured very nicely, in a way that gets your attention.
The models are there all day and all night. You can watch them toss in their sleep if it’s nighttime. And be all playful and modelly during the day as they wash cars and jump on trampolines.
And of course, as they say on the TV, “there’s an app for that.” With the iphone Puma Index app, not only can you have scantily clad reminders of the stock market performance, you can save money. According to Darren Rovell of CNBC, when you show the Puma Index app at a Puma Store, you get 20% off.
This may finally get me to pay more attention to the stock market. Or buy an iphone. Or both.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Nike Scores Again
By Sportcentric contributor Benjamin Schuman-Stoler
Note: This post can also be found on ParenTheSteeze.
The 2009-2010 international soccer season is well underway, and so is Nike Soccer's newest round of successful ads.
It's interesting: In decades previous, Nike's ran major soccer ad campaigns only once every two years or so, matching the the new campaign with new gear coming out in time for the World Cup and the Euro Cup. This year, though, the Make The Difference campaign is releasing videos--virally as well as through print and video media--as the season progresses.
It's a good campaign.
Start here, with The Pledge:
This ad was released right before the season started, and gave me restless leg syndrome in restless anticipation of the first kickoff.
For the American readers who don't follow international soccer, each of those players' pledges are related to their own personal experience, making each statement sort of like an inside joke. When Andrei Arshavin smilingly pledges, "Five goals, one game," he's referring to his famous four goal game against Liverpool last year.
The ad straddles humor and earnestness, as with the very serious interplay between the two teams--rivals Arsenal and Manchester United. Arsenal's captain Cesc Fabregas says, "It's all about trophies," and United's captain Rio Ferdinand says, "No chance." It's pertinent because Man U's the defending Premier League champ and Arsenal haven't contended for the title in a few years. (There are also vids for each team separately.)
What makes the campaign--designed by Wieden + Kennedy London and Amsterdam offices, whose other work with Nike is online, here--work is that as personal as it is, it isn't about one superstar beating a whole team on his own, scoring some brilliant goal, or doing fancy tricks. It's about individual players and their individual missions. The Make The Difference ads try to get inside the mind of the players.
In the case that they're set in a game like situation, as these two are, the camera stays close to the player, keeping it introspective and personal. But most of the settings are unique, particular, and say something about the player. They take place, respectively, in a tattoo parlor, an empty stadium, a forest, even a bathroom:
In a sort of philosophical sense, the link between the pledge and making the difference isn't so obvious, but the ad works in that subtlety. Like all great ads, this campaign is direct, but it's not obvious. To be great, you have to make the difference. But to make the difference, you have to pledge to train harder, to become better. That's a personal mission.
As one of my coaches liked to say, "What makes a player great is what s/he does when no one is watching."
That's why it works that the ads also feature some non-established superstars. Young players trying to break into the starting lineup get face time in The Pledge, and those on the cusp, like Arsenal's budding striker Nicklas Bendtner, admit as much ("Be first choice," he says).
The campaign reaches out to consumers through that crazy interwebs tool, too, as you might expect. There's a Facebook page on which you can make your own pledge (just like the stars!).
As usual, the Nike Soccer website is a lesson in website design. It's simple and clear, with great rotating photos, links to recent news about players, ads, and, of course, the gear. There are a few viral ads on the site too, including a rather artistic one that's worth seeing about Brazilian underdog Luis Fabiano.
The Make The Difference campaign isn't revolutionary or mind blowing. It's just a really well done campaign with smart ads that portray athletes as humans and uses interesting settings to get us into their individual approaches. If we want to be great like them, we have to make pledges too--and, presumably, we'll need that fresh Nike gear to get it done.
Note: This post can also be found on ParenTheSteeze.
The 2009-2010 international soccer season is well underway, and so is Nike Soccer's newest round of successful ads.
It's interesting: In decades previous, Nike's ran major soccer ad campaigns only once every two years or so, matching the the new campaign with new gear coming out in time for the World Cup and the Euro Cup. This year, though, the Make The Difference campaign is releasing videos--virally as well as through print and video media--as the season progresses.
It's a good campaign.
Start here, with The Pledge:
This ad was released right before the season started, and gave me restless leg syndrome in restless anticipation of the first kickoff.
For the American readers who don't follow international soccer, each of those players' pledges are related to their own personal experience, making each statement sort of like an inside joke. When Andrei Arshavin smilingly pledges, "Five goals, one game," he's referring to his famous four goal game against Liverpool last year.
The ad straddles humor and earnestness, as with the very serious interplay between the two teams--rivals Arsenal and Manchester United. Arsenal's captain Cesc Fabregas says, "It's all about trophies," and United's captain Rio Ferdinand says, "No chance." It's pertinent because Man U's the defending Premier League champ and Arsenal haven't contended for the title in a few years. (There are also vids for each team separately.)
What makes the campaign--designed by Wieden + Kennedy London and Amsterdam offices, whose other work with Nike is online, here--work is that as personal as it is, it isn't about one superstar beating a whole team on his own, scoring some brilliant goal, or doing fancy tricks. It's about individual players and their individual missions. The Make The Difference ads try to get inside the mind of the players.
In the case that they're set in a game like situation, as these two are, the camera stays close to the player, keeping it introspective and personal. But most of the settings are unique, particular, and say something about the player. They take place, respectively, in a tattoo parlor, an empty stadium, a forest, even a bathroom:
In a sort of philosophical sense, the link between the pledge and making the difference isn't so obvious, but the ad works in that subtlety. Like all great ads, this campaign is direct, but it's not obvious. To be great, you have to make the difference. But to make the difference, you have to pledge to train harder, to become better. That's a personal mission.
As one of my coaches liked to say, "What makes a player great is what s/he does when no one is watching."
That's why it works that the ads also feature some non-established superstars. Young players trying to break into the starting lineup get face time in The Pledge, and those on the cusp, like Arsenal's budding striker Nicklas Bendtner, admit as much ("Be first choice," he says).
The campaign reaches out to consumers through that crazy interwebs tool, too, as you might expect. There's a Facebook page on which you can make your own pledge (just like the stars!).
As usual, the Nike Soccer website is a lesson in website design. It's simple and clear, with great rotating photos, links to recent news about players, ads, and, of course, the gear. There are a few viral ads on the site too, including a rather artistic one that's worth seeing about Brazilian underdog Luis Fabiano.
The Make The Difference campaign isn't revolutionary or mind blowing. It's just a really well done campaign with smart ads that portray athletes as humans and uses interesting settings to get us into their individual approaches. If we want to be great like them, we have to make pledges too--and, presumably, we'll need that fresh Nike gear to get it done.
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